BLACK IS THE WARMEST COLOR

Chapter 11

For days, I had stayed at home, making my mother believe through texts that school was great. I couldn't get what Jacob said out of my head. The more I remembered, the more I cried. Blythe had left me countless messages, calls but I was too broken to answer.

In one of the texts, she said Jacob asked about me but I didn't care. How could I like someone as cruel as he?
Finally, I turned my phone back on. Another new message from Blythe.

         ‘What happened?’

I carefully thought for a while what my answer could be. I needed to tell her a million things and it couldn't be done through text.

           'I'll see you tomorrow’  was my reply. With that, I tossed my phone to the side and slept off.

The next day, I quietly did my morning routine. I wasn't in a hurry to go to school anyways. I walked the thirty minutes distance to school rehearsing in my head what I was going to do to Penny if she approached me. I just wanted to lay low, have my classes and go back home. Once I got to class, Blythe hugged me.

“Morning!” she started. A huge smile plastered on her face. I loved this part of her.

“Here!” I said handing out an apple to her. “ it's from my mum”

“Thanks” she took it from me and led me to her table. We sat.

“Now can you please tell me why you left so secretly on Tuesday. You didn't even say goodbye. What happened?”

“It was Jacob. We had an altercation and he said something about me not having a stable home”

She was enraged and I hung on to her palm. “But it's all good. I just wanted to know who told him or where he even got the idea from.”

“Did you try asking him?”

“I did. But he didn't give me any reasonable explanation” she groaned and looked at me.

“You know me Gwen. I would never tell a soul about anything concerning your family without your consent. So it wasn't me. And I don't even talk to Jacob”

“Its fine B. I believe you.” I was glad at least Blythe was on my side even though I never doubted her.

“You know, yesterday he came over to me and asked about you.”

“He probably wanted to finish what he started”

Penny and her girls walked in. Immediately they did, some girls at our backs began talking.

“The rumors haven't died down yet?” I tapped Blythe.

“She wasn't suspended from school. Just cheer squad. For like a month. Apparently, they took our advice and put on clothes before anyone could get there.”

I looked at Penny and at that same moment, she also looked at me. I looked away.

“Look Gwen. Let's just forget about this, okay?”

“Okay” I he.

Classes went by smoothly and soon it was time for sports. How I dreaded that,and luckily I wasn't the only one as I Blythe and Doris normally played truancy till the period was over. And this time we ended up at the West wing of the library. That wasn't a frequent place for the teachers, so we were safe.

“Dave is the worst. He plans on spiking some drinks at the party” she blurted out once we were quiet...

“What? Why?..” Blythe soon got talking. All the while they were talking, I zoned out. I pictured how fun having a sibling would be, even if I was  way older. It wouldn't be such a bad thing.

The bell went off for the last time. School was over and I ,Blythe, Doris and Dave were heading out when we saw Penny and Jacob by a tree outside. She was handing him food. Blythe shot a death glance at him and Dave went over to him. They were friends and I hated it. I just hoped he wasn't getting an invite. It would kill me.

Doris put a hand on my shoulder.

“C'mon, let's go. He'll catch up” and I obliged.

“Wait!” a voice said. It was Jacob. We continued moving as I heard Penny call out to him. Dave was shocked. I urged Blythe and Doris to walk faster but he caught up to us.

“ I heard you on the phone with your mum. That's how I knew.” he started talking immediately we stopped.

“Get lost asshole!” Blythe fired at him.

“Your business is with my brother not us” Doris said. I knew what he was saying. I ignored him and continued walking. Blythe and Doris followed.

“I'm sorry” he called but I was too far away.